If your kids like to spend their school holidays outdoors chasing waterfalls and getting dirty, Dapto Rotary is hoping to entice them to explore one of the region's little-known slices of wilderness.
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The community group will be opening up its property Don's Farm, out the back of Dapto, for a family day at the end of the holidays.
Set on five acres of bushland in the upper reaches of Mullet Creek, the property is managed by the Rotary club, which is in the process of developing the site into an environmental park
Already a habitat for platypus and other native species, the club will be planting local bushes and trees to attract native bees.
The community fun day will be held from 11am-2pm on April 28, and will include a BBQ, kids activities, music and a nature walk.
Don's Farm is located at 560 Avondale Road, Avondale.
Other outdoor adventures to have in the school holidays
Wollongong Botanic Garden
A favourite spot for parents of young kids, the Botanic Garden is the perfect place to explore at any age.
You can wander the sculptural cactus garden, picnic on the lawns, learn about bush tucker in the Towri garden, explore the cool rainforest or take in views of the city from Glennifer Brae at the top of the hill within the garden grounds.
Mount Keira Lookout
Just over 15 minutes drive from central Wollongong, this spectacular lookout is nowhere near as popular as it should be.
During the school holidays, you might find the container kiosk open and selling coffee and delicious old-fashioned milkshakes, but the real attraction is the views up and down the coast.
The walking trails might have been battered in recent storms, but most remain in good condition for a hike - depending on how old kids are, there are easy, medium and hard walks to take on.
Or just drive up and spend some time wandering about the summit - there's plenty of space to spot wildlife, try to spot your house and breathe in the fresh air.
Killalea
There are almost 12,000 beaches along Australia's coastline but this year, The Farm at Killalea Regional Park was named the second-best beach in Australia, coming in behind only Squeaky Beach on Victoria's Wilsons Promontory.
It is the only NSW beach on the top 10 list, which conservationist Brad Farmer curates each year for Tourism Australia.
Beach aside, there's plenty of space to unwind and explore at the state park surrounding the sand.
Glow Worm Glen, Bundanoon
After undergoing extensive repairs and reconstruction works following the Black Summer bushfires, this Southern Highlands gem has finally reopened to the public.
And with the Helensburgh glowworm tunnel temporarily out of action after the floods, Bundanoon is the next best thing for a glow-in-the-dark adventure.
When: Bring a torch and start the walk down the one-kilometre track at sunset so that it's dark by the time you reach the glen. Allow about an hour, plus viewing time.
Where: Access it via the end of William Street, Bundanoon. Details here.
Illawarra Rhododendron and Rainforest Garden
Located in Mount Pleasant, over the bridge west of the M1, the rhododendron garden is open on weekends and Tuesdays.
A beautiful mix of lawns, picnic areas, flowering plants, natural rainforest and tracks, it's perfect for picnics or exploring.
Like many areas, it was damaged in the recent flood, but has reopened this week with garden managers calling for more volunteers to help fix damage to the creek and lake.
Right now, the camellias and vireyas are in full bloom, as leaves on some of the deciduos trees have starts to show their autumn colours.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
